I am a part of a number of fitness support groups on Facebook. The one that is currently the most active encourages me to exercise, try to eat healthy, and to drink 64 ounces of water daily. Saturday was a day full of cooking, and was the first day in three weeks that I didn't at least bike or walk five miles. Sunday wasn't going to be two days of little exercise.
I chose to walk toward Broadway given that I usually walked the other direction. Being my usual self, I kept my eyes peeled for money. I saw this in the road in front of a car. When you see it up close, you can tell that it has taken a beating. It's still got value though. It doesn't have to pretty to be worth something.
I also found this door with a pretty serious industrial lock on it. I guess if you can't open the lock, just take the whole door off and throw it away, that's one way to overcome an obstacle in your path.
As I was walking, I listened to one of my all time favorite podcasts, Planet Money from NPR. This podcast highlights everything and anything there is to do with money and is done in a way that is easy to digest for me and interesting. I can't say that about all things finance related. I find this podcast to be one of my most valuable teachers in finance. I also feel like I learned a great deal from Robert Kiyosaki's book, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad." That book taught me a few lessons including:
1.) If you can borrow money for low interest, use it to invest in something that has a higher return. For example, you buy a house at 5% interest. Don't pay that house bill off early, just pay it on time. Use the extra money you'd pay down on your mortgage to invest in something that makes 6% interest or more. Then you are making more money.
2.) I also learned a lot about taking risks to earn money, but making sure that the potential reward is worth the risk.
The other book that I recently listened to on CD was Tony Robbin's "Money, Master the Game."
That book reaffirmed some things for me and made me question others. The one fortunate thing I learned, was to make sure that the company managing my retirement assets wasn't taking a super high percentage as a management fee. Fortunately for me, my financially advisor had advised me to choose a great fund with low fees. He and I discussed the rest of the book and I learned as much from talking with him as I did from Tony Robbins. Tony Robbins isn't wrong in the book, but does steer you to buy or invest in products that would make him money.
I bring this all up because the goal of this blog is for me to find blessings. Blessings can come to you financially, health-wise, joy, positive energy, security, or safety. I feel like me finding money every day is a big part of my financial blessings. I'm not always frugal with my money. I try to enjoy life, spend wisely, sometimes splurge on special things, help friends when they need it, and still put some away for retirement.
As I continued walking through the city, trying to get my five miles in, all the water I'd consumed for the day hit me. This seems to happen on my way home from work every day too. Given the lack of public bathrooms in my neighborhood, it does pose a challenge. As I walked, and my need to find a bathroom increased, I kept focusing on the fact that my bladder could surely use some practice and stretching. I also kept walking faster hoping to make it to McDonalds (where you have to buy something and get a key to use the bathroom here). As I walk faster, I have a tendency to bend forward a little leading with my nose. I realized that this puts more pressure on my bladder, so I walked as straight as I could while maintaining speed and scanning for a place to pee. I kept breathing deeply realizing that every few steps I was holding my breath. Within a quarter mile, I think even an alley would do, but know that I don't want a ticket for peeing in public.
As I finally see the golden arches in site, I stumble upon a coffee shop that I had only noticed peripherally before. I head in there praying that they have a bathroom. Sure enough, they do. I hop back and forth and breath little short breaths while waiting in line. They take my order (it seems to take hours and they have a thousand questions) and give me the key to the bathroom. At this point, my teeth were hurting. It's almost an adrenaline rush when you finally pee after holding it for so long. Phew….I came out of the bathroom with clean hands, an empty bladder, and a growling stomach.
The chipotle chicken sandwich and ice tea was delicious. Thanks to my need to pee, I found a new place not far from home to grab a good bite to eat. The reward was worth the risk this time.
Today's lessons:
If you can't get the lock open, take the door off the hinges.
Taking risks can have great pay out, but also cause some damage.
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